Boot q



(No Model.)

0. BALGOM:

BOOT 0R SHOE.

No. 605,623, Patented June 14,1898.

UNITED QFF-ICE...

CHARLES BALCOM, OF'L'YNN', MASSACHUSETTS,A'SSIGNOR'OF FORTY-NINE ONE-HUNDREDTI-ISJDO VVJLLIAM? W. OROOKER, OF SAME PLACE, AND O. A. L. BROVVN,OF: BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS. l

B'QQ'IT' on SH E.

SPECIFICATION'forming part of Letters PatentNo. 605,623, dated June 14, 1898.

Application filed May :22, 1897'. Serial No.,637','728. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it=may concern):

Be it known that I, CHARLES BALooM; of

Lynn, in the countyof" Essex and State.- of

Massachusetts, have invented; certain newand useful Improvementsin Bootsorshoes,

of which the'following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to boots or shoes which are secured by lacings; and it has for its object to provide a boot or shoe of this class which shall beadjustable -to the foot and capable of being extended and contracted practically along the entire distance from the toe to the ankle of the wearer, so that the shoe may be adjusted to all parts of the foot between said points.

' The invention consists in the improvements which I will 1] 0w proceed to describe and claim. Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a perspective vieW'of a boot or shoe embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of the upper as it would appear if removed from the sole and separated from the fiap or fly which covers the elongated open ing and from the stay-piece which covers the seam uniting said flap to the upper. Figs.

4 and ,5 represent, respectively, perspective views-0f the flap and stay-piece.

The same letters-of. reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, a and a represent two pieces which constitute the main or body portion of the upper, said pieces extending con- 35. tinuously from the toe to the heel and each covering practically one side of the foot. The pieces a and a are united at the heel of the boot or shoe'by a vertical scam I) and at the toe portion of the shoe by a short seam b,which 40 extends from the sole along the median line of the shoe over the location commonly occupied by the toe-cap, said seam being so short that it does not extend materially back of the toes of the wearer, so that the parts united by said seam form only a toe-receiving cap or casing. The pieces a and a are separated or disconnected from each other from the upper end of the scam I) to the ankle-opening by an elongated opening a, as shown in Fig. 3.

' This opening extends along the median line of'tlre-foot from the toe-receiving casing,

formed'by the united forward ends of the pieces-an, to theankle-opening and makes all portions of the'upper between said casing and the ankle-opening adjustable, so that the shoe can-be-accnrately fitted or adjusted not only over and along the instep, but between it'=and thetoes-of-the wearer. I'thus secure adegree ofadjustability which has not been attained-heretofore, so far as I am aware, this increased adj ustability being due to the eX tension of the opening a forward practically to the toes of the wearer.

cl represents a fly-piece or flap which is united to the piece a at one edge of the opening' 0 bya seam which is practically a con tinuation of the scam I). The said flap is formed to extend across the opening 0 and overlap the corresponding edge of the piece a.

To adjustably connect the flap d with the piece a, I provide said parts with alternating lacing hooks or projections e, which are arranged to engage a single lacing-cord f, which extends in a zigzag direction from the lower, end of the flap d to the upper end of the piece a, as shown in vFig. 1. It will be seen that this arrangement of the lacing hooks and cord enables the flap d and the corresponding portions of the upper to be adjusted along the entire length of the opening a.

9 represents astay-piece which is arranged to cover the seam b, said stay-piece being stitched at one edge to the piece a and at its other edge to the flap d.

' 9 represents a toe-cap which covers the S5 seam b and the portions of the pieces a a united thereby.

The flap d is provided with a lining h of a material adapted to form a tight joint by bearing on the outer surface of the piece a go and thus prevent the admission of dust, a suitable material for this lining beingbhamois-skin. It will be seen that said lining is pressed firmly against the outer surface of the piece a by the devices which fasten'the 5 flap to said piece, so that dust is effectually excluded from the crevice between the flap and the piece a.

I claim-- 1. A boot or shoe upper comprising, first, I00

the two side pieces (L 0' extending continuousl y from the toe to the heel and having their forward ends united by a short seam Z), terminating below the instep portion, the said pieces being separated above said seam by an elongated opening 0; and secondly, the flap or fly (I attached to the piece a along one edge of said opening and extending across the latter overlapping the corresponding edge of the piece a, and means for adjustably securing the flap to the piece a along the entire distance from the toe to the ankle.

2. A boot or shoe upper comprising, first, the two side pieces a 0. extending continuously from the toe to the heel and having their forward ends united by a short scam I), terminating below the instep portion, the said pieces being separated above said seamby an elongated opening 0 extending over the instep portion and to the upper ends of the said side pieces; and secondly, the flap or fly (Z attached to the piece a along one edge of said opening and extending across the latter overlapping the corresponding edge of the piece 1, the said flap and the piece (t having alternating studs or lacing-engaging projections whereby they may be adjustably connected along the entire length of the opening 0 by a lacing-cord.

3. A boot or shoe upper comprising, first, the two side pieces a ct extending continuously from the toe to the heel and having their forward ends united by a short scam I), terminating below the instep portion, the said pieces being separated above said seam by an elongated opening 0 extending over the instep portion and to the upper ends of said side pieces; and secondly, the flap or fly d attached to the piece a along one edge of said opening and extending across the latter overlapping the corresponding edge of the piece a, said flap having a lining of dust-excluding material such as chamois-skin arranged to bear on the outer surface of the piece a, and means for adjustably securing the flap to the piece a.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 14th day of May, A. D. 1.807.

CHARLES BALCOM. lVitnesses:

C. F. BROWN, W11. W. Cnooxnn. 

